


No More Danger

by Miinni



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: Angst and Humor, Buckle in for a roller coaster folks, But they'll get their happily ever after eventually I promise, Characterized MC, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, I'm sadistic with characters I love I'm so sorry, Lots of cuddles, Major 707 route spoilers, Mystery, Possibly/Briefly Implied Abuse, These tags will be updated over time, This will hurt your heart but I promise you'll eventually happily melt because of it trust me, Welcome to the RFA family, an angsty cake with fluffy sprinkles, anxiety/panic attacks, do not worry I will cushion you with fluff, lots and lots of feelings, no one thinks they deserve each other but they really do T-T, sensitive subjects will occur, stranger danger, the stage takes a few chapters to set so I apologize, trying to stay strong for each other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-17
Updated: 2016-11-24
Packaged: 2018-08-31 12:27:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8578525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miinni/pseuds/Miinni
Summary: He had promised her that after they rescued Saeran, they could live a normal life— a life where she would be safely his, and him hers, lost in each other’s embrace until they melted away in the oblivion of space and time. He had believed that promise. Huh. How stupid he had been.





	1. Smile for the Camera

**Author's Note:**

> This started out as me indulging my Saeyoung withdrawal symptoms (while I was still on his route... I'm a bit attached oops) by daydreaming life away with a mixture of overwhelming fluff, angst, and a new storyline. One thing lead to another, and here we are~! I hope you'll enjoy this story's plot as much as I have (masochistically) creating it over the past few weeks. <3
> 
> All of this takes place after the Secret Endings.

A small blip rang out from his computer speakers, indicating one of his CCTV cameras had detected motion. Now shamelessly grinning at his screen, Saeyoung pulled up the feed window, finding himself gazing into Kiera’s bright, wide eyes, crinkled by a smile not unlike his own. She was standing in the hall of Rika— no, the RFA’s office. Kiera waved energetically into the camera lens, and, without a second thought, Saeyoung did the same.

Somewhere behind him, he heard Saeran snort, but he didn’t care. She may not be able to see his excited wave, but it was the least he could do for her. Every time, without fail, before she left either her personal apartment or Rika’s old one, she would remember he was on the other side of the lens, and wave. And every time, without fail, the action enveloped him with the same warmth he had felt the first time he had seen her, sprouting a stupid grin on his face no matter the occasion. What a wondrously powerful warmth she held.

“I get it’s been a week since you’ve seen her,” Saeran sighed, and Saeyoung heard him fall back into the living room couch, “but do you _have_ to wave like an idiot _every_ time she shows up on screen? It’s not like she can see you.”

Saeyoung leaned back in his chair, tilting his head so he could see his brother watching him bemusedly. “ _Welllllllll_ , sure, she can’t see me, but she knows I do it. It’s the thought that counts!”

Saeran rolled his eyes, and returned to his TV program. “You guys are weird.”

“If we’re both weird, then you must be the odd one out~!” Saeyoung sung back, suppressing a chuckle. She really had made him weird. Not that he minded, of course. Her weird was the best kind of weird.

He stretched and returned to his computer, filing over various email offers for freelance job opportunities. Now that hacking was pretty much off his agenda, he found it easier to swallow up empty time by getting paid for solving program issues and various other tasks for businesses too inept to do it themselves. It wasn’t a necessity for him to do these things, but it was nice to use his skills knowing imminent death wasn’t around the corner at any wrong step. The concept was so freeing in comparison to what the agency had reined him in on, it almost made him giddy just to do them.

In a matter of eleven days, he was able to see new colors in the world, colors that fueled him with courage to do what he had only dreamed of, colors of joy he never thought he’d have. And in a matter of a few months, those colored had stained him, become a part of him.

_All because of her._

He grinned to himself, his cheeks beginning to hurt as his phone rang beside him. “Perfect timing,” he murmured under his breath, reaching to pick up.

But to his surprise— alright, his disappointment— the profile on his screen was not Kiera’s, but Jaehee’s. Which was odd in itself, but not unheard of. He tapped the accept button.

“Ah! Jaehee! I’m glad you called, I have a new cat project I’m sure Jumin would _love_ ,” he paused, listening to her groan, “You see, I was thinking, what if—”

“Saeyoung.”

He cut himself short, taken aback by her low tone. “…Yes?”

“Is Kiera okay?”

Saeyoung’s brow furrowed. “Y-yeah of course! She just waved to me on the CCTV, actually. I guess she had to go out and get something. Why do you ask?”

Troublingly, Jaehee seemed to become more solemn at his words. “Wait… how long ago was that?”

Saeyoung was leaning forward over his computer now, biting the inside of his cheek. Something had to be wrong for her to be speaking so… cryptically. “Probably three minutes ago. I’ll check the feed’s timestamp for you, if you’d like.”

“Please do.”

“Ah… let’s see.” He adhered, pulling up the program window once again. But rather than being met with the view of the hallway, a pure static struck into his vision, crackling across the feed with no relent. Saeyoung frowned. Had the camera short-circuited? He’d have to go over and fix that. No matter, it’d give him an excuse to spend time with her despite her busying schedule. That’s what he had been secretly hoping for, anyway.

So why was he still frowning? He clicked to access the past feeds, aware of Jaehee’s anxious tapping against her phone case. “The timestamp…”

His stomach plummeted into a sea of ice. The camera hadn’t short-circuited at all. He was vaguely aware of himself getting to his feet, and before he could register it, he had grabbed one of his keys off his desk and was making his way to the door.

“Saeyoung?”

Oh. Right.

“Jaehee, I—I’ll call you back, okay?” he spoke hurriedly, not sure if he even recognized his own voice.

“What’s wrong?” Jaehee questioned. Professionalism kept her tone even, but Saeyoung knew her well enough to hear the alarm edging into her words. “Saeyoung?” she repeated at his lack of response.

“Shit, shit, _shit_!” The swears slipped out of his mouth before he could even consider them. Saeyoung ran a free hand through his hair, lodging the phone between his shoulder and head. “Someone took out the camera. I don’t know who— couldn’t their features.” He felt almost as though he was briefing someone from the agency at this point, spilling the facts of the matter that were, in truth, nothing other than terms of the unthinkable. His fingers had run cold, and he fumbled with the key to the garage. “I’m heading over there. I need to end the call now.”

“Oh god…” Jaehee breathed. She cleared her throat, regaining her composure, “Should I have Mr. Han send some people over?”

Saeyoung considered the offer, but then realized how little he knew about the situation, and how anything too aggressive could result in a risk to Kiera. “No, don’t do that.” A thought struck him, and he had to halt his rush to one of his cars to form the words to match it. “Jaehee… why did you call me?”

He could almost see her rubbing her temples with her forefingers. “She had mentioned she was going out to get some food… but then returned to the chatroom acting oddly. I didn’t really know what to think of it at the time, so I thought you might…”

Shit.

He wanted to read what Kiera had written in the chat, to find some sort of reassurance that perhaps he and Jaehee were overreacting, but his own sense of urgency overrode him. A short: “I’m going to go now,” was all he could manage to say before clicking the call off. He had to find her before she got back to the apartment.

…if she had even gotten the chance to leave.

Shit. Shit. Shit. He couldn’t think like that. She was safe, blissfully unaware of the danger, and he would find her and protect her. He wouldn’t let danger into her life again, not as long as he lived.

He would keep his promise to her.

 

* * *

 :-)

* * *

 

Saeyoung wasn’t sure which was going faster— his car, or his own frantic thoughts. No matter how much hit the acceleration; it felt as though he was trying to drive against a treadmill. And no matter how quickly his thoughts ran, none of them managed to develop any sort of comfort for him to rest upon. His worst fears were had left their burrows from deep inside his subconscious and were now mockingly dancing in front of his own eyes, blinding him, forcing his sanity into a wall. While the distance to the RFA office wasn’t terribly far, the time it took only hammered these things further in front of him, and by the time he had turned down the office’s road, he was such a jittery mess, it shocked him that he was even able to properly grip the wheel.

But what shocked him even further was the sight of an all-too familiar woman making her way down the street, grocery bags in hand and hair amok. Saeyoung swerved to park, his heart racing a mile a minute. She was okay. She was okay! She had leapt back a few feet like a cute cat at the sight of a car speeding towards her, but she was okay.

He mentally cursed, annoyed with himself for scaring her, but relieved nonetheless. He rushed out of the car, and before either of them had a chance to speak, pulled her into his arms.

“S-Saeyoung?!” Kiera’s voice was muffled by his jacket, but she didn’t pull away.

He gazed down at her, finding her meeting his eyes, and his heart simultaneously leapt and fell at the sight. She looked so tired. The CCTV had been deceptive, hiding the dark circles that were imprinted above her cheeks and contrasted the light in her eyes. But even that too appeared to be muted with exhaustion.

“Are you okay? I’m sorry for scaring you,” he murmured. A thousand questions and words swarmed his brain, and yet he could hardly find it in him to speak them. What was draining her so much?

Under her thick bangs, her forehead creased with concern, despite it all. “No, no! I’m…” She averted her gaze from his. “I’m glad you’re here. Really glad. I was just surprised.”

Even her voice seemed tired. She hadn’t been crying, had she? No, of course not. She would have told him if something was wrong.

 …Right?

She met his eyes again, snapping him back into the present. “Why’d you come all this way?” A smirk quirked on her lips, though he could tell it wasn’t fully genuine. “Miss me~?”

 _Of course._ But that wasn’t important right now.

 “Are you okay?” He repeated, gentler this time. He thought he should know the answer, knowing that whoever had taken out the camera at the office had not run into Kiera, but something was very off. He simply couldn’t tell _what_ , and that bothered him.

“God, do I really look that tired?” She stepped back from him, laughing.

Her response came as a surprise, but Saeyoung was relieved to see that was the warmth had not left her smile, and found himself infected by it once more. Her laughter was like a lullaby to his heart, soothing his worries and mending his soul. “A little,” he admitted after a moment. “You should really take a break once and a while.”

Kiera’s eyes widened at the thought. “But the party is so close now! I can’t do that! Besides, working from the office is easier anyway, so I should be able to catch up on some sleep now that I’m here…” She shook her head, seeming to catch herself thinking aloud. She began to eye him questioningly. “You still haven’t told me why you’re here, oh-so busy God Seven. Not that I’m complaining or anything.”

“I’m not the busy one!” he protested. He was grinning despite himself. His urgent fears had melted away at the sight of her. Anything serious that might be happening had become something he could take on, now that she was safely beside him. They were the infamous duo~! The RFA had nothing to fear now!

“Sooo…? Whatcha here for?” Kiera prompted, tipping her head to one side and allowing her hair to cascade over her shoulder.

Ah, right! The camera.

…Shit. Were they safe standing outside like this?

“Think we can get in my car?” he asked, hoping to sound nonchalant. He had gotten carried away for a moment. He had to force himself to remember that the situation could still very well be dangerous... but even still; he didn’t wish to worry her unnecessarily. “It’s kinda cold…”

She raised an eyebrow. “That’s not a reason for you to be here,” she huffed, putting on a fake pout. Despite this, her eyes had begun to glitter with concern.

Agh, she knew him too well.

“Okay, okay, you got me!” he sighed, “Something is going on. But… it’s probably best we talk about it on the road.”

She didn’t argue with this, and the two of them made their way into hastily and, well, sloppily, parked car. Its engine was still ticking, cooling down, and it almost sounded to Saeyoung’s ears as if the ticks were rung with pure annoyance. _Sorry for parking you like that, baby! I’ll take you for a proper drive later, I promise._

Once they had settled down and he had started the car up once more, Kiera curled in on herself, tucking her feet beneath her. “Thanks for coming,” she mumbled, catching him off guard.

“I thought you didn’t know why I was here!” He was trying to keep the conversation light for as long as possible, but her behavior was still bugging him. Why was she thanking him when she didn’t know yet? _Something else isn’t right._ She was too unsurprised by the idea of him negating her from going back to the office, too eager to accept that something was wrong. She clearly wasn’t telling him why for a reason, he was sure, but he trusted his ability to figure it out nonetheless. Besides, what was important was the matter at hand, right? “Right.” Whoops, he hadn’t meant to say that out loud. Time to start talking. “So… I came here because Jaehee called me.”

“Jaehee?” Kiera sounded positively confused now.

“Yup. She said you were acting weird in the chat and wanted to check on you.”

The confusion continued to etch lines across her face. “I didn’t say anything _that_ weird… besides, why didn’t she just text me? Or call me, even?”

_Wait, yeah… why didn’t she?_

“Maybe you missed it?”

Kiera dug around her purse. “I doubt it, but…” She shuffled further into her purse, her expression deepening even more. “Oh. I must have left my phone at the apartm— I mean the office. Can we stop there?”

Agh.

“Uh…” Saeyoung took a hand off the wheel and rubbed at the his neck. “That’s the thing. I told her I had just saw you on the CCTV and that you were fine, and went to pull up the feed to get the timestamp from when you left.” He grimaced. “But, you see, someone had taken my camera down…”

“S-someone’s in the apartment? _Rika’s_ apartment?”

“You say that as if you expected it to be some other apartment,” Saeyoung noted, his concerns amplified by her body language. She had shot upwards, her legs now out in front of her and arms clutched tightly to her chest.

His comment was met by silence.

The stake contaminated with worries was driven into him once again. “Kiera… talk to me.” He had to be level for her, even though his heart may have well been beating out of his throat, choking him up. “If something happened…”

“No!” she exclaimed, a little too quickly. “Nothing happened,” she promised, softer now. “I just… I had been having trouble sleeping; I thought I heard someone outside a few times. I thought that once I came to stay at the office for a bit…” She rubbed at her eyes, the exhausted demeanor that had troubled him so much returning. “I didn’t expect for anything to happen here. I didn’t even think anything _was_ happening.”

She fell silent, and he could not bring himself to speak. Whatever that person was there for...

His spell of thoughts was broken when she uttered a strangled cough that sounded closer to a sob than much else. “Saeyoung, if you hadn’t come…”

“You’re safe now.” It was all he could bring himself to say, and he meant it. He reached to find her hand, giving it a soft squeeze. “We’ll get back to my place and then we can figure out what to do.”

Kiera gasped sharply, and it took all the self-restraint he had to keep his eyes on the road. “Oh god, the RFA documents!” _Shit._ He hadn’t thought about that. “We can’t just let whoever’s in there go through them. If something happened to them…”

Why was it she could never think about herself for too long? He wanted to keep the topic on her, to remind her what was important to him right now, but she had a very valid point. Too valid, in fact. But there was only so much they could do from a car with one phone, and there was no way in hell he was willing to risk going back to the office with her in tow. It was a terribly forced hand to play, but the waiting game was all they had right now.

\---

**[Saeyoung has entered the chatroom.]**

**ZEN: Oh my god there you are**

**Jaehee: Please tell me everything is all right.**

**ZEN: What she said.**

**Saeyoung: Everything is okay.**

**Saeyoung:**

** **

**Saeyoung: I don’t think it’s a good idea to talk about what’s going on here, though. It looks like someone else has Kiera’s phone. T-T**

**Jaehee: She’s okay, right?**

**Saeyoung: Ya**

**Saeyoung: Caught her before she got back to the office**

**Saeyoung: She’s with me now.**

**Kiera♡: Ah.**

**Kiera♡: That explains it.**

**ZEN: …**

**Saeyoung: Ignore them, they’re not her**

**Saeyoung: Because of that, don’t say anything specific in this chat for a while**

**ZEN: Can’t you just block her phone account for now?**

**Saeyoung: I could**

**Saeyoung: But then I wouldn’t be able to keep tags on its location**

**Saeyoung: Consider yourself watched~**

**Jaehee: Where is her phone now?**

**Saeyoung: Still in the office**

**Saeyoung: Speaking of which**

**Saeyoung: I need to call Jumin**

**Saeyoung: bye bye~**

**[Saeyoung has left the chatroom.]**

**Kiera♡: Aw, I wanted to tell him something.**

**Jaehee: I’m not even sure how to respond to that.**

**ZEN: …Me neither.**

**Kiera♡: Then don’t.**

**Kiera♡: I’m not here for you. :-)**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's get this story rolling~! I'm honestly very excited for this. This is legitimately the first time in years I've been able to sit down and write a couple thousand words without multiple day breaks in between. It feels so great~!! (ﾉ^ヮ^)ﾉ*:・ﾟ✧
> 
> And in case you're worried, I plan to leave little to no holes in this; so anything vague here was purposefully left as such for... future things. Do not fear! Or maybe do. Hmm. Muahaha~
> 
> I'd also just like to say a quick thanks to AO3 user, zombolouge, who, unknowingly, gave me the courage to put this story I had been imagining into words. T-T <3 Her(?) story, As Bright as the Stars, is absolutely AMAZING, and I'd 100% suggest that you go and give it a read before even touching my trash bags over here. I'm serious. The life she breathes into her story and every, single character without fail is unironically breathtaking. I wholly recommend it.
> 
> ~
> 
> [Edit] [This portion was initially the note for chapter 2, but I bound the original chapter 2 to the latter half of this one*]: I thought it'd be cute if Saeyoung were to put a little heart next to Kiera's name on the messenger, just like he did with Yoosung and the star. But now that she's not the one using it... I wonder how uncomfortable that is.;;;
> 
> Apologies for the slow start. It's necessary, but I know it sucks. T-T  
> But~ it'll be worth it~ <3
> 
> ~
> 
> *This was done because I wasn't happy with the tone the first chapter originally closed on.


	2. Stupid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Saeran laments over his loss of a soda.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was so enjoyable to write. I hope it shows! Well, Savor the last of the (somewhat) fresh air while it lasts, folks! (´꒳`) <3

Saeran hadn’t gotten the chance to ask questions after his PhD Pepper can had been knocked out of his hand on his brother’s scramble to the garage door. Well, the first words that had popped into his head at the time didn’t _actually_ form a _question_ , rather something a little more unsavory… so that could partly be why. But still, he had been confused, not to mention very much drenched, and that was more than enough reason to be annoyed. The computers his twin had left on offered very little compensation for this, plastered mostly with frames of static and a single email subjected: ‘Get Today’s Cat Fact Nyao!’.

_Stupid brother._

What failed to better his view on the situation was the fact that _no one was answering his texts._ He wasn’t normally one to initiate any sort of conversation, especially with the RFA members, but he was, at this point, relentlessly determined to figure out if the sacrifice of his perfectly good soda and pair of jeans was for a good cause. So he had tried to get ahold of Saeyoung, Kiera, and Yoosung consecutively, getting nothing back but a:

 **Yoosung** **☆: Aw, you two really are brothers!! ^^**

And that did _not_ help.

Of course, Yoosung was probably at school, so Saeran had to admit it made sense for him to not be that helpful. But still, he needed an reason for his loss, dammit. He wasn’t about to message any of the other members— that’d be too… uh, _weird_ —and the chatroom itself was quieter than it had been in days. Which normally, he’d be pretty happy to see, but the fizzy mess left on his lap said otherwise.

And so, here sat Saeran Choi, tapping irritably against his thigh, grudgingly waiting for his brother to come back home.

He had just reached his 2800th tap when the grumble of the garage door caught his attention. “About time,” he exclaimed, resting his head on one of the couch pillows. “You owe me—!”

Oh. It wasn’t just Saeyoung. _She_ was with him, too.

 _…I seriously had to deal with this mess just because he couldn’t get out the door fast enough to see her?_ An odd mix of amusement and disgust bubbled out of his chest, and he rolled off the couch and to his feet. _…Stupid brother._

Saeyoung eyed his twin, a small grin appearing across his face as he made the connection between the stain on his brother and his rushed exit. “Sorry about that!” he laughed, but there wasn’t much joy behind the sound.

Saeran had to resist pushing the matter further, but the lack of mirth in his brother’s laugh had brought even more confusion to the table. His gaze flitted over Kiera, who stood behind Saeyoung, a multitude of plastic bags held firmly in her arms. She was smiling at Saeran, but the expression felt oddly sapped of any true merit.

“Sorry to intrude,” she said apologetically as she caught his eye, shuffling her feet a bit. She dropped her attention to the bags in her arms. He wasn’t very good at reading people, but Saeran couldn’t help but notice that her demeanor was unusually jittery. As if to accentuate his observation, she hopped to her toes, stumbling to keep the bags balanced but grinning wider nonetheless. “Hmm… it’s getting late. I’ll get some dinner going!” She scurried into the kitchen before either brother could protest. Though, it wasn’t as though that either of them wanted to.

Once she had left the room, Saeyoung darted over to his computers, snapping into his workaholic mode Saeran had been fortunate to rarely bear witness to. Saeran’s annoyance resurfaced somewhat at the sight. “You want to explain what’s going on, or…?”

Saeyoung spun around in his chair towards his brother, looking almost as though he had forgotten he was there. “Oh, right. Sorry. Ah… there’s someone in the RFA office.” He hesitated for a moment. “It sounds like whoever that is has been on Kiera’s tail for a while.” His lips forming a firm line, he turned back to his computer and began to run through a few command prompts.

That had not been what Saeran had expected, and he… he wasn’t sure what to make of it. He sat back down on the couch, watching his brother work from over his shoulder.  

“God…” he heard Saeyoung mutter after a few moments.

“Hm?”

“Absolutely none of the RFA documents or registries have been touched.” Saeyoung ran his fingers through his hair, letting out a strangled sigh. “Why is that guy still there? I don’t understand… why go through all this trouble…? Why take out my damn camera, expect Kiera to come back, find out she isn’t going to, and then stick around without getting into anything? Why did you shadow her for so long if…”

Saeran stifled the urge to roll his eyes at his brother’s Kiera-centric ramblings, and he rose to join him in the computer room. “What about the Special Security System? Has that been messed with?”

“I got rid of that thing completely.” Saeyoung didn’t look up from his work, still pulling up the logs pertaining to Saeran’s question despite his words. “Yeah, doesn’t look like it. We could parade in there whenever we’d like.” He stopped typing for a moment. “Ah… nothing adds up… what the hell.”

Kiera’s head peeked over the kitchen doorframe, causing both brothers to jump. “Why don’t we parade in there, then? Jumin probably could hire some people to help out.”

The expression on Saeyoung’s face as he looked at the woman he loved was more disconcerting than usual to Saeran. Rather than being dopily joyful at the sight of her, his face took on a disquieted notion, despite any attempts he was making to have that not be so. Saeran wondered if she saw it, too. “We don’t know _what_ we’re parading into. I don’t want to put us in that position,” Saeyoung explained at last, returning himself to his computers.

She frowned, watching him carefully for a moment, before disappearing back into the kitchen to continue her work.

Saeran narrowed his eyes at Saeyoung. “Is something more going on…?”

Saeyoung shook his head a bit too vigorously, causing his glasses to clatter to the floor. “That’s _the thing_ ,” he cried out, his vehemence taking Saeran by surprise, “ _I don’t know._ I feel like there’s something else— no, I _know_ there’s something else –but she isn’t telling me. And _I don’t know why._ ” He turned to face his brother, his gaze almost pleading, “What if… what if something’s seriously wrong, and I just am too blind to see it…? Why isn’t she being honest with me?”

Saeran took a step back, overwhelmed. He had never understood Kiera. He barely knew why she liked Saeyoung so much, let alone why she had even stayed in the RFA— so what was Saeyoung expecting him to say? But the look on his face was so… so desperate. It reminded him of a time he had tried so hard to forget, and he knew he couldn’t just leave Saeyoung like that… not again. “I-I don’t know,” he stuttered, unsure of how to compose himself, “but maybe she’s doing it for the greater good.”

The greater good? What the hell? That sounded so stupid, especially coming from him.

But Saeyoung seemed to actually consider this, much to Saeran’s… relief? Concern? Bewilderment? Definitely the last two. Saeyoung seemed to get so stupid when it came to her. Did he really believe what Saeran had said? He almost hoped he didn’t.

Kiera reappeared in the doorway, and Saeyoung scrambled for his glasses before she could note his expression. “I made some soup!” she announced, setting two bowls down on the desk beside them. “It… probably won’t be that flavorful, though. Normally you’re supposed to let the broth sit…”

“What are you talking about? It’s great!” Saeyoung chirped, returning to his normal state. He had already slurped up a decent portion of his bowl before she had even finished talking, and was smiling cheekily again.

She started to giggle, but the sound was swallowed whole by a much more forceful yawn. She stretched, falling back onto the wall with a small huff. “Bah…”

Saeyoung set his bowl down, now watching her with fully disclosed concern. “You’re exhausted,” he murmured.

“Nooooo…” But her body betrayed her, sinking down to the floor. Saeyoung reached to grab her before her head hit the corner of the desk as she continued, “I’m… ‘kay…”

“Here, you can use my bed,” he offered quietly, helping her to her feet. “But I’ve got to get to the bottom of this.”

Her attention snapped to him, and briefly, her tired eyes were entirely awake. “I don’t… I don’t want to… be alone… right now…” Her voice had become weak, words forced out like soft gasps of air. She was clinging to Saeyoung now, and his expression had continued to darken. He seemed to understand, though Saeran wasn’t sure if he himself did. “We can move the couch in here, would you like that?”

Kiera managed a nod, but nothing more.

That much Saeran could understand.

But it seemed the “we” Saeyoung had mentioned had meant Saeran alone, because Saeran found himself being the only one dragging the couch into the computer room, wondering why he was just letting himself be employed like this. Though, he supposed he wasn’t _truly_ wondering—he knew already. He knew something was wrong, and like Saeyoung, he wasn’t sure what, but that would have to be enough.

Kiera crawled onto the couch without protesting, unaware of the soda stain she had curled up upon. The soda stain, that had been, up until now, the most of Saeran’s worries. Something told him he should have savored that for a bit longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Saeran compulsively counting his taps is in correlation to a symptom of OCD. All things considered, I do not think it is far fetched for him to have a mild case of it.
> 
> In other news, today I have learned that I subconsciously want two things: a Saeran route, and to write a story centered around him. AH I HAVE AN IDEA: I CAN DO BOTH. I AM A GENIUS, A GENIUS I TELL YOU. /wheeze/  
> W-Would you guys be on board for that? (๑•́.•̀๑)  
> Of course, I'm focused on this primarily, but I am a bit curious!


	3. Just Breathe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning tags were added due to this chapter. If you are concerned about that, please check them before reading. <3

It was nice to close her eyes and be able to halt the paranoia eating away at her flesh for a long enough period of time that restfulness overtook her body. She had been granted a sliver of this gift within the week through Saeyoung's late night phone calls, but it only lasted as long as his will against sleep did. After that, Kiera would be alone once more, alone with no strength to push away the manifestation of her own fears.

She understood what had brought this on, but she hated herself for letting it get to her. She hated the way small noises made her jump; the way that Saeyoung's car speeding towards her had thrown her heart into her throat and her mind into a thoughtless frenzy. She hated herself for not telling him how bad she was getting, and for not even mentioning it at all. She had thought letting him think everything was okay would be the best for both of them.

And now, there was someone in the RFA office.

Perhaps if she had said something sooner, it wouldn't have gone this far.

She hated herself for that, too.

He was being so gentle and patient with her, even though they both knew she had lied. He didn't push her to talk, only comforting her in her exhaustion and providing her peace of mind. It was unfair for him, but he did it anyway. A selfish part of her cried out she didn't deserve him, but she also knew he'd say the same for himself. A wry note of amusement tapped her throat. There was no point in arguing over it. At the end of the day, the most their clashing stubbornness would admit to was that the other was their world. And that was more than enough for both of them.

She smiled into the cushion beneath her as the thought coaxed her self-loathing back to its cage. There was no point in mulling over the thoughts that had contaminated her in her loneliness; she wasn't alone anymore. Kiera shuffled herself deeper into the plush of the cushion. She was glad Saeyoung had offered to move the couch. It was soft and warm; cradling her tired limbs and providing her a perfect spot to watch him work away during the times her eyes managed to stay open long enough. Saeran had taken it upon himself to monitor Saeyoung's actions, poking and prodding him whenever he found something amiss. He sat casually off the edge of the desk, kicking his legs like a child, but his sharp eyes were aimed at the screen unwaveringly.

Occasionally, both brothers would steal glances at her, no doubt surprised she hadn't conked out the moment her body hit the couch. Admittedly, she was too, but sleep had been elusive enough to her as of late that she knew better than to find it concerning. Besides, she liked to watch Saeyoung work. Other than their time in Rika's apartment, there had been little opportunity to— and even that felt as though it was a lifetime ago. So she soaked it in, allowing her gaze to become sightless as the hum of the art calmed her nerves. The thrumming clicks of his expertise typing lulled her like a gentle rain on a rooftop… so calm, so reassuring, so…

Kiera stood in Rika’s apartment. She found herself wandering, lost in a trail of thoughts. She had forgotten how empty it used to be, how much of an alien she had once been here. Everything was too pristine, like someone had tried to take a picture of mundanity and bring it to reality, but leaving the life behind. But she had liked it even so, because it had allowed her to meet the people most important to her.

But this Rika’s apartment was different. It was a picture of breathing chaos. The floor had been strewn with red-stained glass, the door torn away from its frame and lost amongst the wreckage. Her feet screamed from the abuse, but Kiera couldn’t stop walking over it, trying to register the debris they touched. She had seen this once before, but she hadn’t been alone then.

Why was she alone now?

No, that was wrong. She wasn’t alone. Why would she think that? There was someone right there, a man with electric mint eyes. _Unknown._ No, not Unknown. Saeran. But Saeran was better now, why was he here? Why did he look at her with those disturbing dark eyes?

She blinked. Dark eyes? That wasn’t right. It wasn’t Saeran at all. She didn’t know the man in front of her; she couldn’t even see his face, her gaze was stuck on his bulging eyes. He was striding towards her now, but she couldn’t move. His eyes had caught her in his trap, ensnaring her every movement. Every ounce of her screamed to run, but her body wouldn’t budge. The glass beneath her ground into her feet as she stood in place.

He would be on her soon.

She could tell he knew it too; his eyes were feverishly blazing with feral sparks, burning into her skin.

Why couldn’t she do anything?

_What is wrong with me—_

Kiera’s eyes bolted open, but the world still swam in circles, around and around _and_ _around._ It screamed at her, pulsing and radiating across her eyes so quickly that her stomach had risen to her throat. She could vaguely see the outline of Saeyoung kneeling beside her, his mouth forming words the violent ringing in her ears washed away. She brought her hands to her head, but they only shook the world further.

_Stop, stop, stop. STOP._

The world responded by pressing in on her, pressuring the weight of the walls against her skin, squeezing the air out of her lungs. It was suffocating, smothering the breath in her throat, throwing her heart into an overdrive so severe she figured it may as well give out. Her brain was screaming something now. Air. She needed air. But the walls were too heavy. She couldn’t. She wouldn’t—

Acid fell upon her skin, and her lurching vision focused for a single moment to find the source. Saeyoung had reached for her hand, tenderly pulling it away from her face. “Kiera,” he sounded so far away; his voice soft, but just strong enough to reach her, “I need you to breathe with me. Okay?”

Through all the tremors of her body, she wasn’t sure if she had managed a nod. But he understood nonetheless, his golden gaze firmly set on her. “Thank you. In… and out. In… out,” he continued, calmly following his own words.

Kiera weakly obeyed. She found herself soaking up his voice, it swept like a fresh rain on parched land through her veins, silencing the panicked roar that had overwhelmed her ears moments ago.

“You’re doing great,” Saeyoung whispered, his eyes yet to leave her face. She felt him squeeze her hand, but she had no strength to reciprocate. “This won’t last, trust me. Just keep breathing. Everything will be okay.”

But nothing was okay. _She_ _wasn’t_ okay. She… she…

Her heart fluttered within her ribcage, threatening to fly away and leave her lifeless. If only her lungs weren’t so constricted; maybe then she could let it. Maybe then she would be free. Maybe… maybe…

There was more acid brushing her now, painting her in its sting. She faintly noticed that Saeyoung was holding her delicately by the arms. He had begun to repeat himself again; he must have noticed her beginning to panic. “Shhh,” he murmured, “in… and out.”

Kiera’s arms trembled beneath his hands. “M-m-make it stop…” The voice that passed through her shaky breath was foreign— broken and hoarse. It made her stomach churn. Was she broken? Past the haze in her vision, she thought she saw his lips quaver, just for a moment.

Perhaps it had simply been the quivering of her own gaze, because when he spoke, his voice was just as composed as at had been before. “It’ll stop soon, I promise,” he reassured her. “Just focus on breathing with me right now, alright?”

“O-okay.”

She wasn’t sure how long it took, but once she had found her capability to breathe on her own, the world began to still. She could see Saeyoung clearly now; he was without his glasses, his brilliant eyes watery and wide and brow creased with concern. A thought passed her by, wondering if she had woken him. Her body still shivered violently beneath his careful grasp, though it was weak and exhausted from its self-inflicted labor. Saeyoung pulled her close to him, and she could feel his own shaky breath on her neck as they dissolved into a trembling embrace.

“I’m sorry…” The whisper slipped away from her without a moment’s notice.

“Don’t ever be sorry for something like that.” He must have felt her flinch at how firmly the worlds came out, because he softened his tone, “I know how terrible that can be. I just want to help you through it. I…” he let out a heavy sigh, “I wish I understood what was happening. I wish…”

Kiera’s heart ached at his words, but all she could do was hug him tighter.

* * *

:-|

* * *

**Kiera** **♡: Honestly, you people are such a bore.**

 **Yoosung** **☆: ??**

 **Kiera** **♡: Kind of pathetic, actually.**

 **Yoosung** **☆: idk what’s making you say that**

 **Yoosung** **☆: and it kind of hurts seeing Kiera’s name say it,**

 **Yoosung** **☆: But it’s not true!**

 **Kiera** **♡: Oops.**

 **Kiera** **♡: I’m in your precious office and you’re just leaving me be and crying in a corner?**

 **Yoosung** **☆: We’re not. T-T**

 **Yoosung** **☆: Besides, shouldn’t you be glad we aren’t storming the place?**

 **Kiera** **♡: I never said I wasn’t. I guess I just expected more from your little agent security boy.**

 **Yoosung** **☆: ;;;Saeyoung?**

 **Yoosung** **☆: He’s not an agent anymore…**

 **Yoosung** **☆: …**

 **Yoosung** **☆: …why would you even know about that?**

 **Yoosung** **☆: …hello?**

 **[Yoosung** **☆ has left the chatroom.]**

* * *

:-)

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that I was able to do this scene justice. It is both very important to the development of this story, specifically Kiera, as well as a very sensitive reality for many people and I do not wish to squander that. 
> 
> I... I had originally planned on writing this great fluffy scenario and not hitting you with any of this for a little while longer. But my anxiety has been pretty rough on me lately, and this was born from the ashes! It was definitely (and twistedly) therapeutic, so I'm glad I went through with it and didn't force out something cheery all 707 style. But don't worry, friends! I have some plans for fluff that I /cannot/ just pass up, so I will balance you out with care! <3
> 
> Anywho~ thank you to everyone who has left a Kudos! I bounce joyfully like a little kid whenever I see that counter go up. It absolutely makes my day~ <3


	4. A Little Bit of Cheer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we have some chatroom banter, feel-good snacks, and the itch for discussion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the wait on this chapter. I have so many ideas, but I wanted to make sure I didn't rush anything or mistime my plot, so I ended up taking my time finding what works.
> 
> This chapter should be pretty easy going; it's pretty fluffy. After this, I'm about to start steamrolling my way through, so hang on~ Muahaha~
> 
> I hope my fellow Americans had a lovely Thanksgiving, and to the rest of you— I hope your day was lovely too! ♡

**[5:27]**

**[ZEN has entered the chatroom.]**

**Jaehee: Hello, Zen!**

**Jaehee: You’re up quite early.;;;**

**ZEN: I’ve been up all night**

**ZEN:**

**ZEN: I’m method acting for my new role. T_T**

**Jaehee: I admire your dedication. ^^**

**ZEN: ^^ I'm afraid that my skin will not, though.**

**ZEN: So I probably won't try this again haha**

**[Yoosung☆ has entered the chatroom.]**

**Yoosung☆: I’M SO TIRED**

**Yoosung☆: PLEASE HELP**

**Jaehee: That’s what you get for gaming all night;;;**

**Yoosung☆: I WASN’T**

**ZEN: Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiight**

**Yoosung☆: Seriously. T-T**

**ZEN: Then what was our star student, Yoosung Kim, doing late enough at night that he's tired this fine morning?**

**Yoosung☆: T-T how harsh**

**Jaehee: I'm curious to know as well.**

**Yoosung☆:**

** **

**Yoosung☆: not even Jaehee defends me T-T**

**Yoosung☆: But anyway,**

**Yoosung☆: I was up doing some research last night.**

**ZEN: Yoosung? Research?**

**Jaehee: I'm happy to hear you're taking your studies more seriously. ^^**

**Yoosung☆: Hahahahaha**

**Yoosung☆: ahaha**

**Yoosung☆: yeah...**

**Yoosung☆: school...**

**Yoosung☆: ...**

**Yoosung☆: omg I have school today.**

**Yoosung☆: I am going to die.**

**Jaehee: Drink some coffee. You'll feel better. ^^**

**Yoosung☆: I was uP ALL NIGHT**

**Yoosung☆: NOTHING WILL SAVE ME**

**ZEN: Welcome to the club;;;**

**ZEN: Jaehee, please tell me you at least had enough sleep for the both of us.**

**Jaehee: ;;;;;**

**Jaehee: Mr. Han has assigned me to copious amounts of paperwork and we have an early meeting today...**

**Jaehee: So I had 4 hours of sleep...**

**Yoosung☆: I'll take 3 and Zen can have the last one.**

**ZEN: ?!?**

**ZEN: Why can't we evenly split them?**

**Yoosung☆: You're not the one going to school!**

**Jaehee: What about my hours...?;;;;**

**[Jumin has entered the chatroom.]**

**Jumin: Good morning.**

**ZEN: Let me guess**

**ZEN: You had a perfect, full night's rest.**

**Jumin: I did sleep quite well.**

**Jumin: Why is it you're concerned with my sleeping habits so suddenly? It's unlike you.**

**ZEN:**

** **

**Jumin: More importantly,**

**Jumin: I, for one, am concerned with what the intruder sent last night.**

**Yoosung☆: I have so many questions about that. T-T**

**Jaehee: We probably shouldn't discuss it here. Saeyoung did warn us about being too specific.;;;**

**Jumin: I believe I have a solution to that.**

**Jumin: I'll discuss it with you once you arrive at the corporate office today.**

**Jaehee: ;;;Alright. I’ll be there around 6.**

**[Saeran has entered the chatroom.]**

**Jumin: I'm genuinely impressed.**

**Jumin: I never saw you as much of an early bird.**

**Saeran: ...?**

**Jaehee: Good morning Saeran!**

**Yoosung☆: Morning~! ^^**

**Saeran: Oh.**

**Saeran: I guess the sun is rising now...**

**Saeran: Good morning, then.**

**Jaehee: Don't tell me...**

**ZEN: You were up all night too?;;;;;**

**Yoosung☆: Awh you're finishing each other's sentences~**

**ZEN: it was just a timing coincidence;;;;**

**Saeran: I slept...**

**Saeran: for 20 minutes.**

**Yoosung☆: Is Jumin literally the only one who got sleep last night lolol**

**ZEN: Sadly...**

**Jumin: What do you mean, "sadly"? It's a great thing to get a full night's rest. You just need to work on your habits.**

**ZEN:**

** **

**ZEN: I'm doing this for MY JOB**

**Jumin: ...that is a very poor method for work.**

**ZEN: and Jaehee was busy with YOUR paperwork**

**ZEN: and Yoosung was awake for school research**

**Yoosung☆: ;;;;**

**ZEN: and I bet Saeran was looking into the intruder issue.**

**Saeran: Partially.**

**Yoosung☆: Did Saeyoung and Kiera at least get some sleep...?**

**Saeran: Rethink that question lol.**

**Yoosung☆: ok ok**

**Yoosung☆: Did Kiera get some sleep? T-T**

**Saeran: Last I saw, she was completely out.**

**Saeran: But I haven't left my room yet so I'll find out in a bit.**

**Saeran: I'm sure she did, though. She was quite literally falling over from being so tired last night.**

**Jaehee: She mentioned staying up doing work and RFA emails, but I didn't think it was that bad...T-T**

**Saeran: ...yeah.**

**Saeran: Anyway,**

**Saeran: I only joined because I had to say something.**

**Yoosung☆: What is it?**

**Saeran: I'm sure now that the intruder issue has nothing to do with the RFA.**

**Saeran: They’re just here because they got ahold of Kiera’s phone.**

**Saeran: Don’t bother with them too much.**

**Saeran: ...that's all.**

**Saeran: …**

**Saeran: …why is no one talking…?**

**Yoosung☆: It just doesn’t make sense!**

**ZEN: It… kind of does.**

**ZEN: But…**

**Saeran: >_>**

**Saeran: Of course it does!**

**Jumin: Even so,**

**Jumin: I almost feel as though that creates a more alarming situation.**

**ZEN: …yeah.;;;**

**Yoosung☆: T-T**

**Yoosung☆: Then why are they here?**

**Jaehee: As upsetting as the situation may be, I doubt we should be talking about it here…**

**Saeran: What she said.**

**Yoosung☆: You’re the one who brought it up. >_<**

**[Saeyoung has entered the chatroom.]**

**Saeyoung: !**

**Saeyoung: Everyone is awake!**

**Saeyoung: I don’t think I’ve ever seen this at this hour**

**Saeyoung: So**

**Saeyoung: Unless you’re Jumin or Jaehee**

**Saeyoung: Go back to sleep T-T**

**Jaehee: T-T**

**Yoosung☆: I mean, my first class today isn’t until 7:30…**

**Saeyoung:**

** **

**Saeyoung: That’s the spirit!!**

**ZEN: No,**

**ZEN: No it’s not.;;;;;**

**ZEN: Anyway**

**ZEN: How are you and Kiera doing?**

**Yoosung☆: DID YOU GET SLEEP**

**Yoosung☆: PLEASE TELL ME YOU SLEPT**

**Jaehee: Please do. T-T**

**Saeyoung: Haha…**

**Saeyoung: I mean…**

**Saeyoung: I think Kiera got 4 hours?**

**Saeran: …only 4?**

**Saeyoung: and I probably dozed off at some point but idk**

**Yoosung☆: WHY**

**Jaehee: I don’t even know what to say anymore. T-T**

**Saeyoung: Ya.**

**Saeyoung: Brother dearest**

**Saeyoung: We’re making cookies**

**Saeyoung: so hurry and get up**

**Saeyoung: before we eat the dough without you**

**[Saeran has left the chatroom.]**

**Saeyoung: Ok that was faster than I thought**

**Yoosung☆: I want cookies…**

**ZEN: …at 5am.**

**Saeyoung:**

** **

**Saeyoung: Also, what Saeran said about the intruder was right**

**Saeyoung: But let’s not discuss it further here.**

**Jumin: I’ll need to make a call to you in about an hour so please don’t pass out from exhaustion before then.**

**Jumin: I’m going to be very disappointed if you don’t pick up.**

**Jumin: I might have to come over there if you do not.**

**Saeyoung: hey hey**

**Saeyoung: Don’t doubt me T-T**

**Saeyoung: I’ve got things to do and people to be with so I’ll be awake~!**

**Saeyoung: Oh Saeran’s up**

**Saeyoung: I’ll keep in touch~**

**[Saeyoung has left the chatroom.]**

\---

Saeyoung had decisively held Kiera in his arms until she no longer needed it; but even when that time had come, neither of them moved. In the quiet, the night slipped away from them through their cracks of desperation, and before either of them had realized, hunger had begun to swallow their exchange whole.

Kiera’s stomach had growled first, prompting Saeyoung to crack a joke. But before one had fully left his mouth, his own stomach spited him, resulting in an unceremonious fit of giggles. To his relief and, even more so, his delight, Kiera’s laugh melded with his, her eyes no longer glittering with tears but with a tender mirth.

It was like seeing clear skies after a long, tumultuous storm— fresh, bright, and beautiful. He loved the sight so much he wished he could bask in it forever, never letting her skies grow grey once again. It was all he could ever ask for, yet something life was proving he could not achieve.

She lopsidedly smiled at him, this time genuine, and tipped her head to one side. “I bought the ingredients for cookies last night. And I doubt we’re getting any sleep at this point…” She gestured with her head to the clock on the wall;

5:10.

Had so much time passed already? Last he had checked, it had been three. Neither of them had gotten much sleep, and she clearly needed it... _But what if she has a nightmare again? What if—_

Kiera seemed to think his lack of response was nothing short of shocking, because she shot back, tossing her head dramatically into the couch. “Have I broken God Seven?” she gasped, “at the mention of _making_ our own junk food?”

Saeyoung found himself grinning despite his own concerns. “Gods have no business making their own junk food!” he cried, aghast, “What a terrible thing to ask of one!”

Her eyebrow quirked. “So are you saying that the amazing God Seven has never eaten homemade cookies?”

“I suppose that I have not.” He sniffed to complete the statement. A part of him –that was larger than he’d care to admit— was childishly excited at the idea of making cookies with her, but he wasn’t _quite_ ready to break the role quite yet.

“What a tragedy!” Kiera’s slapped her hand over her mouth in mock horror. She leapt to her feet, wobbling a bit at the sudden movement after such a long time spent curled against him, but determined nonetheless. “This must be fixed! To the kitchen!”

It seemed even God Seven was not equipped to deny such a grand offering, much less Saeyoung. So he followed her without a breath’s complaint, somewhat giddy now.

He was happy to see her refreshed and herself once again, though he had a million unanswered questions still plaguing his mind. Even so, he had no plans of disrupting the golden moment of getting to make cookies just because they wanted to—just because they could.

Kiera pulled out eggs and a stick of butter from the fridge, and then head to the counter to haul over her shopping bag from the previous evening. She spun on her heels, looking at Saeyoung inquisitively. “Where are your bowls?”

Saeyoung blinked, taking a moment to process everything. The idea was almost foreign to him; like something out of a picture album: _his_ fiancé, _his_ kitchen, _before dawn,_ about to do something _so_ _mundane_ it felt unreal. The newfound light in her eyes told him she thought the same. That alone made him want to go out and buy chefs hats just so they could relish the moment more; he probably would if not for the hour. It would make for a great picture. Oh! What had she asked? Bowls. Right. Bowls…

“We don’t have any bowls.”

“…What?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The fate of their cookies and Jumin's demanding phone call will play out in the next chapter, along with... something... else....
> 
> This chapter specifically was a bit of a hurdle to write because of pacing issues, but I'm extremely excited for what's to come! I hope that it still turned out okay, and that the chatroom flowed well. It was quite fun in itself, but I don't want anyone to seem unlike themselves.;;;
> 
> ♡ Thank you for all the Kudos and support you've given me~ it truly, absolutely makes my day! ♡


End file.
